Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 17:18
Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
18. removed them out of his sight ] The language is accommodated to human ideas. God’s eye was regarded as specially directed to the land of Canaan, where He had chosen to place His Name. So to be taken away from that land is a removal from His special oversight. By the ‘tribe of Judah’ is meant the kingdom. Cf. 1Ki 11:36.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 18. Removed them out of his sight] Banished them from the promised land, from the temple, and from every ordinance of righteousness, as wholly unworthy of any kind of good.
None left but the tribe of Judah only.] Under this name all those of Benjamin and Levi, and the Israelites, who abandoned their idolatries and joined with Judah, are comprised. It was the ten tribes that were carried away by the Assyrians.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Out of his sight, i.e. out of Canaan, the only place of Gods solemn worship and gracious presence; or, out of his church.
The tribe of Judah only; and the greatest part of the tribe of Benjamin, and those of the tribes of Simeon and Levi, who adhered to them, and were incorporated with them; and therefore very fitly denominated from them: See Poole “1Ki 11:13“.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel,…. Nothing being more provoking to him than idolatry:
and removed them out of his sight; not out of the reach of his all seeing eye, but from all tokens of his favour, from the good land he had given them, and all the benefits and privileges of it:
there was none left but the tribe of Judah only; and part of Benjamin, which was annexed to it, and incorporated in it, and made one kingdom, and maintained the same worship; and there was the lot of Simeon, which was within the tribe of Judah; and the priests and the Levites, and various individuals of the several tribes, that came and settled among them for the sake of worship; but no perfect, distinct, tribe besides.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(18) Removed them out of his sight.By banishing them from his land (2Ki. 17:23)an expression founded upon the old local conceptions of deity.
The tribei.e., the kingdom. (Comp. 1Ki. 11:36.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Therefore In view of all the sins mentioned in 2Ki 17:7-17. See note on 2Ki 17:7.
Removed them out of his sight “That is, out of the Holy Land where Jehovah had his dwelling; out of the land of the covenant and out of the land of revelation.” Bahr.
The tribe of Judah only Compare marginal references.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 17:18. And removed them out of his sight A very strong expression to signify God’s rejection and total removal of this apostate people from his care and Providence.
REFLECTIONS.1st, Hoshea, the last of Israel’s kings, lost with shame the throne that he had ascended by perfidy and murder. We have here,
1. Israel become tributary, as a prelude to their final destruction. Though their king was not so bad as his predecessors, the people continued as bad as ever; and therefore God sold them into the hand of Shalmaneser. Note; (1.) God tries lesser judgments before he strikes the final blow. (2.) They who sell themselves to the service of sin, will shortly find the wages of it to be eternal ruin.
2. Utterly destroyed and dispersed, Hoshea, by the help of So, king of Ethiopia, rebelled against the king of Assyria; but he suffered for his falsehood: his country is ravaged, his capital besieged, and, after three years resistance, taken; himself made prisoner; and, effectually to prevent any future revolt, all the people of any note carried away captive, and dispersed in the north of Assyria, and in the cities of Media; whilst colonies of Assyrians are put in possession of their fruitful land, under whom the remainder of this miserable nation might be husbandmen and vine-dressers, and serve, in other menial employments, their proud conquerors. What guilty nation sinning against gospel-grace need not tremble, that reads the catastrophe of God’s once favoured people!
Thus ended the kingdom of Israel, which, from its commencement under Jeroboam, had continued two hundred and fifty-five years.
2nd, To vindicate the ways of God to man, and show the causes why Israel was thus abandoned to ruin, the sacred historian, after relating their dispersion, declares the just reasons of God’s procedure.
1. Their sins great, numberless, aggravated, and incorrigible, had provoked his judgment.
(1.) Base ingratitude. God had rescued them from the iron bondage of Egypt; after many wonderful interpositions, had bestowed on them the land of the heathen; and, to crown all, had given them the plainest direction for their conduct, and the most glorious promises to encourage their obedience. But all would not engage their hearts to him; they forgat the God of their mercies, and turned from him to idols.
(2.) Wilful disobedience. They rejected God’s covenant, left all his commandments, and sold themselves to work wickedness, as slaves by willing choice to their lusts: and if for a time restrained, through fear or shame, from open and avowed impiety, they still, in secret, indulged their abandoned hearts, and continued as bad as ever.
(3.) Gross idolatry. Of all their sins this was the most provoking: against it they had received especial warnings; and, because of it, had seen God’s heavy judgments on the heathen. Yet, they not only learned their ways, but became worse than the idolaters whom they imitated. They readily kissed the calves that the wicked Jeroboam erected; adopted all their neighbours’ gods, worshipped the hosts of heaven, the sun, moon, and planets; yea, so mad were they upon their idols, that there was scarcely a grove, or a spreading tree, without an image under it. Every city, yea, every village, even to the meanest watchtower, had its hill-altar, till they were multiplied as heaps in the furrows of the field, Hos 12:11. There they offered incense to these strange gods; and so lost to natural affection, so besotted were they in their adulterous rage after these abominations, that their very children were led through the fires, or burnt in them, to honour these diabolical deities. Lord, what is man!
(4.) Hardened incorrigibleness. Prophet after prophet did God raise up to warn them; and, to enforce the word of their mouth, he smote them with the sword of his corrections; but under both they proved alike impenitent. They regarded not the warning voice, nor repented under the stroke of judgment. Therefore, when every method of recovery was fruitless,
2. God removed them out of his sight, according to the word of his prophets. The rod of his anger was the Assyrian, but the destruction was from the Almighty.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ki 17:18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
Ver. 18. Removed them out of his sight. ] That since they would not live by his laws, they should not live in his land, quippe qui moribus suis quam legibus uti mallent. a
a Val. Max.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Judah only. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), Levites and Benjamin and additions from Israel are of course included.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
removed: 2Ki 13:23, 2Ki 23:27, Deu 29:20-28, Deu 32:21-26, Jos 23:13, Jos 23:15, Jer 15:1, Hos 9:3
the tribe: 1Ki 11:13, 1Ki 11:32, 1Ki 11:36, 1Ki 12:20, Hos 11:12
Reciprocal: Deu 29:28 – rooted them 1Ki 8:46 – unto the land 2Ki 17:20 – until he had cast 2Ki 17:23 – the Lord 2Ch 6:36 – thou be angry Psa 51:11 – Cast Isa 37:4 – for the Jer 7:15 – I will Jer 36:2 – against Israel Eze 23:13 – that they Dan 9:11 – all Hos 4:15 – yet Hos 9:12 – woe Hos 13:16 – Samaria Zec 8:13 – O house
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 17:18. Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel For he is a jealous God, and highly resents the giving that honour to any created or imaginary being, which is due to himself only. And removed them out of his sight A very strong expression, to signify, not only his casting them out of Canaan, then the only place of his solemn worship, and gracious presence, or out of his church, but his utter rejection and total removal of this apostate people from his care and providence. There was none left but Judah only And the greatest part of the tribe of Benjamin, with those of the tribes of Simeon and Levi, who adhered to them, and were incorporated with them, and therefore are fitly denominated from them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
17:18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah {k} only.
(k) No whole tribe was left but Judah, and they of Benjamin and Levi who remained were counted with Judah.